Astros report: Grossman in 0-for-18 slump

Robbie Grossman, who proved to be a streaky hitter last season, went 0-for-4 on Monday against the Angels to extend his slump to 0-for-18.

“I’m not panicked,” he said. “Yeah, I wish things were going the other way. This is baseball. It makes you appreciate the good times when you go through bad times.”

Grossman, who usually plays left field, also committed a mental miscue in the seventh inning when he let runners tag from both second and first base on a fly ball to center by Albert Pujols. Grossman should have thrown the ball to second base instead of third. A steady left fielder, he was shifted to center in the absence of Dexter Fowler, who has missed the last four games with a stomach virus.

Grossman hit .360 (18-for-50) in spring training to prompt manager Bo Porter to bat him second in the order after initially saying he would bat Jose Altuve second. Grossman is now 2-for-26 (.077), but he says his struggles at the plate aren’t affecting his defense.

“I’ve played this game long enough to know you can’t bring what you’re doing at the plate into the field,” Grossman said. “It’s two separate parts of the game.”

Wrong place, wrong time

Manager Bo Porter pulled L.J. Hoes aside Monday to discuss the second-year right fielder’s blunder on the bases. With the Astros trailing 8-1 with two outs in the eighth, Hoes was tagged out attempting to go to third from first on Jonathan Villar’s infield single to short.

Angels shortstop Erick Aybar, who knew he couldn’t throw Villar out and held the ball, easily caught Hoes in a rundown.

“Not smart,” Porter said of Hoes’ mistake. “It’s basic fundamental baseball. The scoreboard is the most important object on the baseball field. Your run doesn’t mean anything as it relates to the number of batters we need to get to the plate.

“As I explained to L.J., even if (Aybar) throws the ball to first base, you still should not have tried to go to third base. The ball is on the infield, and that’s not a time where you take a chance or you risk an out — when you’re down by seven runs.”

Lighter Fowler cleared to travel

Somewhat lighter and appearing frail after his three-day battle with a stomach virus, center fielder Dexter Fowler returned to Minute Maid Park for the first time in four days on Monday. He missed his fourth consecutive game and was uncertain if he’d be ready Tuesday for the start of a series against the Blue Jays.

“I’m pretty weak right now,” he said. “I’m going to see if I can eat some food now. I haven’t eaten in three days. It’s been all liquid and rice.”

The 6-4 Fowler’s weight usually fluctuates between 193 and 195 pounds, but he lost at least 10 pounds.

“I don’t even want to get on the scale,” he said. “It would be depressing.”

Although Fowler was unavailable for the fourth consecutive game, he was cleared to travel with the team to Toronto on Monday night.

Trying to get the feeling again

With an 0-for-13 start to the season, first baseman/outfielder Marc Krauss landed on the bench Monday.

“It’s more on a mental side of things, not really a physical adjustment that needs to be made,” he said. “I’ve just got to get my confidence back and get to that point where I feel really confident in the box and aggressive and dangerous. That’s how I was feeling this spring when I was going well. I’ve got to get that feeling back.”

Krauss got off to a hot start in the Grapefruit League before cooling down and finishing camp with a .293 average (12-for-41), two home runs and four RBIs. But Krauss’ hitless start is an example of why spring training stats don’t carry much weight.

“I hoped to be doing better than I have been, but that’s part of the game,” Krauss said. “You’re going to go through struggles. It’s tough to do that at the beginning of the year, but at the same time, I haven’t really completely killed the team.”

Albers granted paternity leave

Relief pitcher Matt Albers has been granted paternity leave by the Astros.

Righthander Josh Zeid will come up from Class AAA Oklahoma City to take Albers’ spot on the roster.